My 2018 Bullet Journal Setup

With the New Year recently upon us, I’m super excited to be starting it off with my bullet journal in hand (*cue squeals of geekiness*). Plus, after using it for about 4 months, I have a pretty good handle on my approach to using it. I started my first (and current) bullet journal in August of last year so this is my first time making pages for a New Year’s fresh start. There is so much out there to be inspired by and it’s so much fun (and maybe a tad overwhelming!) to look at everything that bujo fans have created.

I have some spreads from 2017 that I will be continuing to use into 2018. For instance, in August I began a “Year in Pixels” spread that will not end until July of this year. I’ve also been tracking the amount of weight I have lost (about 55 pounds so far!), so I will continue with that one until I’ve met that goal. Though… once that is done, I’ll need a spread for maintenance!

As many others do, I’ve decided to begin the 2018 section of my journal with full-year/broadly used spreads before beginning monthly spreads. Some of them are simply for inspiration or to serve as positive reminders throughout the year (quotes, words, and such) while others are more practical.

I’ve been beginning each month with a “hello” spread or some other opening page and planning for a full year is no different. I loved this spread when I saw it on BohoBerry.com and decided to recreate it for my bujo! (Check out her other stuff too – it’s great!) I hadn’t yet included a year-at-a-glance spread, so felt this was a good spot to include it for the upcoming year. I think I’ll end up using it to highlight important dates, etc.

I’m super motivated by goal setting, so the next two spreads revolve around that. The first tackles overarching goals. This spread was inspired by/recreated from Infinite Planner. She has some great printables too if that’s your thing. Our goals will be different, of course, but I very much liked the idea of separating them into 3 categories: Business & Finance, Health & Wellness, and Personal Development. …although I’m still figuring out what those goals will be exactly.

The other goals-related spread that accompanies this is my 2018 Bucket List. I have a longer-term (“life”) bucket list spread but decided that testing out a yearly one might be fun too. Every year I find that I say, “This year/season, I’d like to do ___” and it never actually happens. (Apple picking: I’m coming for you this year!) I’ve left lots of space on the page so that I can add things to it as I go.

The next two pages are for keeping track of my yearly reading. I bought a pin recently from a local store that says, “Nasty Women Read,” so that was my inspiration for this year’s very simple reading pages. For my 2017 reading spread, I colored in a book on a Harry Potter themed bookshelf and kept track of the specific books, authors, and dates completed on the other side. Though I wanted to have something to color in for each book, I instead chose to give myself more room for the books themselves and add in a rating system.

Admittedly, not my favorite, but I’ll use it this year and see how it goes. The 2017 one was much cuter. 🙂

This year I’m going to make a concerted effort to understand my finances – where they go, where I’m earning, etc. I’ve decided that I’m going to do some monthly finance-related spreads but I also know that using a debt tracker will apply to much more than just one month! This way, I’ll be able to track the debts I have as I pay them off.

Earlier this year, I created a savings tracker to save for 3 specific goals (a new laptop, a trip to Europe, and funding to attend a professional conference). I haven’t, however, used that spread very much. I’m not quite sure if it’s the spread itself or that, while I have some savings, I haven’t decided how I want to divvy it up. So… I’m going to make a new one and see if it’s more effective.

I think I might embellish this a bit more before I use it.

After the finance trackers come a few more organizational spreads. One is a two-page birthday tracker. I am horrible about remembering birthdays, so I wanted something to serve as a reminder throughout the year. The design I chose is a pretty commonly seen one in the bujo community. It’s a circle with a spot for each month. But… it’s simple, it’s colorful, and it does the job! The final two-page organizational spread is dedicated to healthcare. Information for my healthcare providers is on the left and an appointment tracker is on the right. I don’t currently have a general practitioner or an OB/GYN so I’m hoping this helps to remind me to find them!

Information blurred to protect the innocent. 😉

The final bujo planning days of 2017 went so quickly but I am excited about using these new spreads! Hopefully they will be exactly what I need/want them to be. What new spreads are you trying out this year?

Amazon Affiliate Disclaimer

XOGrace.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.